Where Trust Lies (Love vs. Loyalty Book 3) Read online

  Where Trust Lies

  Nia Arthurs

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  COPYRIGHT

  First published in Belize, C.A. 2017

  Copyright © Nia Arthurs

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the publisher, nor be circulated in any writing of any publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published without a similar condition including this condition, being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

  This book has been produced for the Amazon Kindle and is distributed by Amazon Direct Publishing.

  To Merna and Lorraine

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Epilogue

  Chapter 1

  ₪₪₪₪₪₪

  Brown fingers stained red trembled like leaves in a storm. Breana couldn’t get the sight of Trenton’s blood running down her arms out of her mind. Fear clutched her chest and gripped it tight, penetrating claws of doubt and guilt deep into her system.

  This was her fault. If something happened to him, it would be on her head. She knew this intimately and was unwavering in her resolve to make it right. If only Trenton would come through… he had to come through.

  Her mother returned from the restroom and slid into the waiting chair next to Breana. Reaching out to calm her daughter’s jittery knee, Merna smiled and raised her eyebrows in encouragement.

  The effect rang hollow and Breana turned, swallowing her emotions to keep a lid on the tears that threatened to burst from her like a busted pipe. Having her mother here, when she really needed her, was such an anomaly that she didn’t know how to process it.

  “Mrs. Lorde?” A doctor strode into the room and glanced over the rag-tag pair with a quizzical eye.

  Breana could imagine what he was thinking. After all, they were both dark-skinned women—a far contrast to Trenton’s pale skin. Their clothes were dirty and wrinkled—Breana’s from the ordeal with the gunmen at the office and Merna’s—well… ‘dirty and wrinkled’ were her mother’s signature style.

  “Are… are you here with the patient?” the doctor asked, looking past them to the waiting room beyond.

  “Yes! I’m his mother-in-law.” Merna stepped forward and jutted out her chin. Her curly brown hair fanned her head wildly, and she seemed more of a lion on the prairie than a relative of the prestigious Lorde Industries director.

  “I’m his wife,” Breana said, tapping her chest. “Please, is he okay?”

  Clearing his throat and glancing furtively at the security guard near the door, the doctor nodded slowly. “Fortunately, the bullet bypassed any major arteries. He’ll be as good as new though there will be some pain in the shoulder for a while.”

  Breana clasped her hands tightly as relief rushed through her chest. Merna bawled out for joy and the doctor eyed her warily. Sinking to her knees, Breana finally allowed the tears to flow free.

  “Thank you so much,” she said, sniffing loudly. “Thank you.”

  “Is he up for visitors?” Merna asked.

  “Not quite yet,” the doctor replied. “But we’ll be transferring him to the Recovery Unit soon, and you can see him then.”

  Breana stumbled to her feet and grasped the doctor’s hand. Pumping it up and down, she smiled through her tears. “God bless you.”

  The doctor bared his teeth in a semblance of a grin and picked his hand out of Breana’s. He glanced at Merna before returning his attention to her. “Why don’t you both get cleaned up? We’ll call you when he’s been transferred to the unit.”

  “He has a point,” Merna whispered, tugging on the hem of her daughter’s shirt. “You could use a shower.”

  The doctor stared pointedly at Merna, but kept his thoughts to himself. Breana caught the look, but was far too immune to the judgmental stare to care. She had bigger things to think about.

  Leaving Trenton’s side now felt like a betrayal, but she knew that walking around with bloodstained hands and clothing would cause a stir she didn’t have the energy to deal with.

  “Go on,” Merna said, turning her around and nudging her toward the door. “Go home and change. I’ll stay here so someone will be around if he needs it.”

  “When did you say Trenton’s father was getting here?”

  “He’ll be on the first flight available tomorrow.”

  “Thank you.” Breana nodded and took a step toward the door before she froze. When her mother had informed her of Edward Lorde’s plan to come to Belize in support of his son, she’d taken it all in stride.

  After all, she’d had more pressing things on her mind.

  Now that she had a moment to breathe, Breana found it strange that her mother received such a specific slice of information so quickly. Had she been in touch with the Lordes behind her back?

  “Why are you stopping?” Merna asked, tilting her head. “Do you want me to come with you?”

  “Mom,” Breana pivoted and faced the woman who could scam her way through the Assembly Building, “how did you know Mr. Lorde was coming?”

  “What do you mean?” Merna widened her eyes and blinked innocently. “His mother called your cellphone, but you weren’t paying attention. That’s when I answered.”

  “Are you telling me the truth?”

  Merna snorted. “What? Do you think that I have a pre-existing relationship with Lorraine Lorde based on our shared plan to get you and Trenton married and living together? That would be ridiculous!”

  “What?” Breana shrieked.

  “Look,” Merna came up behind her daughter and massaged her shoulders, “you’re under a lot of pressure right now. I understand that. Go home, take a shower, bring back some things that Trenton will need and take it slow. Okay?”

  Breana nodded and exhaled deeply. Her mother was actually being a responsible adult for a change. Rather than question it, she decided to accept the miracle that it was.

  “You’re right.” She squared her shoulders. “I’ll be back soon.”

  “Are you taking the bus?” Merna asked.

  “Yeah, but it’s still early afternoon so it shouldn’t be a problem to find one.”

  “Okay.” Merna bit her bottom lip. “I just wish you didn’t have to go out like that. People will stare.”

  Breana took a moment to let her mother’s words sink in. For twenty-two years, she’d been carting her drug addict mother away from bars, sidewalks, and alleys. Merna chose now to act as if people’s opinions mattered?

  “I’m fine. Trenton’s going to make it and that’s honestly all that matte
rs.”

  “If you say so.”

  Breana smiled and walked out of the waiting room. As she neared the main lobby of the hospital, she heard a commotion coming from outside the doors. Curious, she headed straight for the exits and froze when she saw the number of news vans and reporters parked outside the steps of the hospital.

  Carefully, she opened the wide glass doors and stepped out. Like a pile of pigeons just noticing a worm, the reporters snapped to attention. There was a moment of silence as Breana and the journalists sized each other up.

  Then the pause ended and the reporters jumped into action. They surged around her, thrusting microphones into her face. Clear shutters snapped her picture and flashed in her eyes. Large video cameras sat burdened on their shoulders and blinked red as they aimed at her.

  “What’s going on?” she asked, shading her eyes from the overwhelming glare.

  “Is it true that Mr. Lorde got injured protecting you?”

  “Is this simply a ploy to keep Lorde Industries from getting blacklisted by the environmentalists?”

  “Did you get married to Mr. Lorde in secret because of an unexpected pregnancy?”

  Breana’s jaw dropped and she stared at the reporter who had hurled that line. What on earth was going on here? Why were all these people asking her ridiculous questions?

  “Please, just let me pass,” she said, putting up her hand to shade her face and trying to take a step forward.

  The news reporters followed her. She glanced around for a way out, noting desperately that her chances of catching the bus with such a large entourage would not end well. Could they all realistically find seats?

  Breana was just about to give up and return inside, when someone pushed his way through the crowd. She saw the familiar face and sighed in relief. Jamison’s broad shoulders easily parted the reporters and when he stood beside her, she felt safe.

  “Mrs. Lorde,” he said gruffly, “my apologies for not arriving sooner.”

  “It’s okay,” she whispered.

  “Excuse me, are you Mr. Lorde’s assistant? Can you answer some questions?”

  Jamison looked at the reporters and rose to his full height. Buttoning his jacket, he darkened his voice. “Any questions that you may have will be answered when Mr. Lorde is available. At this time, I ask that you give the family privacy as they pull through this hard season.”

  “Wait!”

  “One more question!”

  Jamison ignored the calls. Putting one hand on her upper back and the other out in front of him, he led them forward, swatting reporters away when they tried to step into his space so they stumbled back like flies.

  Breana looked on in amazement as the crowd thinned and then finally gave way when they realized that they’d be trampled by Jamison’s unwavering march.

  He led her to a black car and opened the door, wordlessly indicating that she should get in. As soon as they settled inside, Breana inched to the edge of her seat and frowned.

  “What was that?”

  “That,” Jamison eyed her through the glass of the rearview mirror, “was your first introduction to your husband’s world.”

  “It’s horrible.”

  Jamison slipped his glasses onto his nose and started the car. “And it will only get worse.”

  Chapter 2

  ₪₪₪₪₪₪

  Trenton groaned and opened his eyes. Why was it so hazy? He peered up at the ceiling and noticed a woman hovering above him. She had warm brown skin and voluminous, curly hair. Breana?

  He blinked again and the haze cleared. Color and detail flooded his senses, emphasizing every wrinkle and scar on Breana’s face. Trenton grunted in fear and backed up. What had happened to his wife?

  “Calm down,” Merna said and Trenton nearly fainted with relief. “It’s alright, son.”

  “Merna…” he coughed and winced at the fire in his shoulder. “What’s going on?”

  “Don’t you remember?”

  “I— ” He froze as the memories washed over him with the strength of a tidal wave. The receptionist’s frantic call. The horror of listening to masked gunmen keeping Breana hostage. The boom of the first gunshot. The police kicking down the door and charging the room. Holding Breana.

  Breana!

  He sat up, ignoring the searing pain ricocheting up his chest. “Where’s Breana? Where is she?”

  “Breana is fine. She just went to change her clothes and shower, but she’ll be here any minute.”

  Trenton sank into the bed and breathed out in relief. She was okay. His heart thumped erratically, despite the news. He could still taste the fear on his tongue as if he were reliving the tense negotiation with the Mexican mafia all over again.

  Merna took the seat next to his hospital bed, and the resulting creak drew his attention. She looked a little more… unkept than he remembered from their conversation earlier. Her clothes were stained and worn, and her hair billowed about her head in unrestrained curls.

  “What happened to you after we met this morning?” he asked.

  “Aren’t you more curious about what happened to the guys who took Breana hostage?”

  Allowing her to shift the conversation, Trenton nodded.

  “Well,” Merna cleared her throat, “they’re currently being shipped back to Mexico to live up to a host of other charges. The police assured us that they would not be out of jail anytime soon.”

  “And Cady?”

  “Cady? Why does that name sound so familiar? Isn’t that Breana’s evil boss?”

  “She’s also a friend.”

  Merna huffed. “She’s still alive. If that’s any consolation.”

  Trenton barely restrained his smile. Sometimes, he could see bits of Breana’s personality in his mother-in-law. His wife would hate such a comparison, but he found it slightly amusing.

  “Anyway, you’re lucky to be alive. Dying would not have been the best way to resolve your issues with Breana. In fact, now that you’re going to pull through this, I’d say you should send that Miguel guy a card for helping you out.”

  “Excuse me?” Trenton eyed Merna closely. Was she using again? Was that why her clothes were so messy?

  “There’s no better way to end a fight with your wife than to take a bullet for her. It’s ten times more effective than an apology.”

  “I… are you being serious?”

  “I mean, it sucks that your injury couldn’t be more permanent. Now that would have really made a statement, but if you milk this for as long as possible, there shouldn’t be any lingering bad feelings.”

  “You’re totally serious right now, aren’t you?”

  Before Merna could stun him with another cavalier answer about death as a solution to his marriage issues, the door opened and Breana burst through. When she saw him sitting up, she raced to his bed.

  “Trenton!”

  He widened his arms and pushed out his uninjured side so that she could hug him comfortably. Her hands surrounded his torso and she squeezed him tightly. Pain shot through his shoulder, but he took it in stride.

  “I’m so happy you’re alright,” she said, brushing the hair away from her eyes. She smelled fresh and clean. He wanted to glue her to his side and so wash away the horrors of the morning.

  “Are you okay?” His eyes trailed from the top of her curly hair to her beautiful face, down to her T-shirt, jeans, and tennis shoes. “You’re really not hurt anywhere?”

  “I’m fine,” she said. “I’m just happy you’re alive.”

  Trenton glanced over Breana’s shoulder and saw Merna holding up the ‘okay’ sign. He narrowed his eyes at her and she shrugged in reply. Noticing their back-and-forth, Breana turned around.

  “Am I missing something?”

  “Nothing at all,” Merna said happily. “I’ll leave you two to talk.”

  Trenton chuckled when the door closed behind the hardened woman. “Your mom is… interesting.”

  “I hope she didn’t offend you. She has a habit of
speaking her mind no matter where she is.”

  “It’s okay,” he said, curling his hand around her waist and placing his head against her stomach. He let out a satisfied groan. “I feel a hundred times better now that you’re here.”

  “Don’t ever do that again,” Breana scolded, playing with a strand of his hair. “If you had died because of me, I… I would have killed you.”

  Trenton chuckled and settled his head more firmly against the cloth at her belly. “I missed you.”

  “I didn’t go anywhere.”

  He glanced up, allowing the emotions in his heart to steal into his eyes. Trenton figured he could turn in his man-card for a bit. He could always blame it on the pain meds if anyone asked.

  “I’m sorry about everything, Bree. I just want us to start over and—”

  “Trenton,” she pushed him back and tugged at a curl, “not right now. Okay? Let’s talk about that later.”

  Thrown off-guard by her response, he licked his lips and nodded. “Sure. Later is good.”

  Straining to circumvent the awkwardness now filling the hospital room, Breana removed the backpack she wore and set it on the bed.

  “I brought some things you might need. Jamison suggested that you stay away from the news for the time being so…” she hauled out his phone and handed it to him, “I figured you would need this.”

  He grinned up at her, glad that—despite the tension that had sprouted between them a moment ago—she anticipated and met his needs so well.

  “Thank you.”

  Breana nodded. “Are you hungry? I saw a vending machine in the corridor.”

  “I heard they’re making jello for dessert,” Trenton said with a grimace. “I don’t do jello.”

  “Got it. I’ll bring something high in sugar.”

  She left, and Trenton watched her until the door closed completely. Only then did he fire up his phone and navigate to an online Belizean newspaper. In the headlines, he saw his face along with the mug shots of Miguel and his crew.

  The article, clumsily titled ‘Shot for Love’, went on to describe his scuffle with the officers trying to keep him out of the rescue attempt. It also mentioned the bullet he took while protecting Breana with his body.